Rooter for bulldozer blades



p 23, 1958 s. F. BlERWiTH ETAL 2,852,875

ROOTER FOR BULLDOZER BLADES Filed May 14, 1956 32 wigu 4 $3" All 36- 35'9 INVENTORS 4 5.FBIERWITH D H-GLIVERIIORE BY United States Patent'ROOTER FOR BULLDOZER BLADES Stanton F. Bierwith, Castro Valley,antlHarry .G. Livermore, Tracy, Califl; said Bierwith assignor to VikingForge & Steel Co., Albany, Calif., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication May 14, 1956, Serial No. 584,651

8 Claims. (Cl. 37-145) The invention relates to a rooter comprising ascarifying attachment for bulldozer blades, and more particularlyrelates to a novel means for mounting such a rooter on a bulldozermoldboard blade.

In providing rooting elements on the moldboard blades of the Workingheads of bulldozers, or the like, it has heretofore been customary tomount such elements for their complete removal while not in use, as whena bulldozer blade is operating in looser material. Since, however, theground-working requirements for a bulldozer blade may vary appreciablyat different working points, a removed rooter may be needed on shortnotice and must then be recovered from its point of last removal, thusinvolving a marked waste of time. Also, rooter assemblies for use withbulldozer heads usually weigh several hundred pounds, which fact imposesanother handicap in rooter-dismounting and replacement proceedings. Inaccordance with the present invention, however, a major purpose is toprovide for the constant carrying of a rooter on the bulldozer headwhile it is retained in either working or non-working position thereon,whereby to facilitate its use by minimizing its required handlingbetween periods of its use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplifiedmeans for retainedly mounting a rooter of the character described ineither working or non-working positions on a bulldozer moldboard.

A further object is to retainedly mount the rooter on a moldboard insuch a manner that its inoperative disposal may be simply effected byswinging it away from its working position to a non-working positionacross the upper part of the moldboard.

An added object is to provide for the independently settable attachmentof a plurality of rooters to the same moldboard.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of a typical embodiment thereof, and in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view disclosing a pair of rooter elementsretainedly mounted on the moldboard blade of a fragmentarily-shown usualworking head of a bulldozer by the rooter-mounting means of ourinvention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the assembly of Figure l, with the differentrooters shown as respectively secured in operative and inoperativepositions on the moldboard blade.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the assembly of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken at the line 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view taken from the line 5-5 in Figure 2, and showing apresent rooter element having its point portion free of the bottomworking edge of the moldboard.

Figure 6 is an enlargedfragmentary section taken from the line 67-6111Figure '1.

2,852,875 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 Figure 7 is a view similar to that ofFigure 5, but showing a rooter element fully secured to the moldboardblade.

For purposes of illustration, the device of our invention is shown asapplied for the mounting of one or more unitary rooter elements 11 onthe moldboard blade B of a usual bulldozer head H, said blade beingsuitably shaped of a metallic plate and presenting a cylindricallyconcave front working face F and extending between an unfiangedtop edgeB and a thickened (reinforced) working edgeportion B". As shown, anelement 11 comprises an intermediate shank portion 12 having a pointportion 13 and a uniform round and externally threaded stem portion 14-extending integrally-from opposite ends thereof. The shank portion 12 isof rectangular cross-section and is tapered to have its larger end atthe juncture of the shank with the point portion 13 which is also ofrectangular cross-section and tapers to its working tip and extendsangularly forwardly from the line of the shank. The rearward part of thepoint 13 immediately adjacent its juncture with the shank is providedwith a V notch 15 for receiving the working edge ,B of a bulldozer bladeB having its upper edge B adjacent and opposite the stem portion 14 ofthe element '11; as shown, the V notch 15 is provided by a cross-member16 which comprises an original or integrally attached part of the point.While such is not shown, the tip portion of the point 13 may replaceablymount an enclosing wear tip secured to it in a suitable-manner.

Means are provided for fixing the element 11 to the blade B while theworking edge =B" .of1the blade is seatedly engaged with the elementnotch 15, such means engaging the elernent at its stem portion 14 andcomprising an assembly 17 which is mounted 'onthe blade B at its topedge B. As particularly illustrated, the assembly 17 comprises a basemember 18 fixedly mounted on the top edge B of a blade B, with the underside of said member formed to engage the top edge B with the rear faceof the blade B in complementarily fittedrelation theretoyin the presentinstance, in which a pair of rooter elements 11 is mounted on the sameblade B, the base elements 18 are welded to the upper blade portion atlikedistances from the sideedges of the blade. A tubular upper portion19 of a base 18 provides a bore 21 in whicht'he stem 22 of a forkelement 23 is journaled with the 211111524 of the fork extendingforwardly ofthe base 18. The stem 22 extends rearwardly from the baseportion 19, and the extending stern portion mounts a collar 25 pinned toit whereby the fork is swiveled to the base between the collar 25 andthe shoulder .26 provided at the rear end of the fork arms inperpendicular relation to the stem axis.

It will now be noted that the opposed faces of the fork arms 24 aremutually parallel and receive betweenthem a more or less cylindricalblock member 27 having coaxial trunnions 23 extending from its ends andengaged in aligned bearing bores 29 provided in the fork arms 24 toprovide for a rocking of the block about an axis which is perpendicularto and is intercepted by the axis of the fork stem 22. Diametricallythereof, the member 27 is intermediately provided with a transverseopening 31 having a uniform circular cross-section which is slightlylarger than that of the stern portion 14 of the element 11, whereby saidopening may freely receive said stem portion therein. When the threadedrooter stem 14 extends through the opening 31 of the block member 27, itis arranged tomount a cap nut 32 having its open end bearing against theblock whereby the degree ofextension of the rooter stem through theopening 31 may be adjustably controlled while the rooter is supportedfrom the nut. 'In this manner, atightening of the nut 32 on the stem 22'may cooperate with the seating of the bottom 6 blade edge B" in thenotch 15 of the rooter to produce a clampedly set mounting of the rooteron the blade.

Understanding that the described securing assembly 17 for the stem endof a rooter 11 effectively comprises a universal joint between the stemand blade, a rooter which has been lowered from its blade-mountedposition by backing off the nut 32 on the stem 22 to free its V notch 15from the blade edge B may be swung slightly forwardly (Figure 5) toclear it from said blade edge and to then permit its swinging upwardlyto a position opposite and along the front face F of the blade for itsengagement with a forwardly extending support bracket 34 mounted at thetop of the blade B for engagement by either or both of the rooters 11which are shown as mounted on the blade, and essentially provides a forwardly directed rest arm 35 which is adapted to sup portedly engageeither or both of the rooters at shank points thereof. The presentbracket 34 is of one-piece construction and provides a cross-groove 36which is arranged to complementarily receive the upper edge portion B ofthe blade B at a point intennediately of the assemblies 17, the setbracket 34 being suitably fixed in mounted position on the blade bywelding or another means. The arm 35 of the bracket 34 is long enough toprovide a retaining depression 37 between the bracket portion 38providing the groove 36 and an upturned terminal flange 39, with saiddepression 37 wide enough to simultaneously receive both rooter shanksWithin it.

As particularly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, a rooter element 11 hasbeen subjected to a ninety degree rotation as between its loweredworking position and its raised inoperative position, whereby tomaintain the center of gravity of the rooter as close as possible to theblade B. Understanding that the present device of constantly associatinga rooter, or rooters, with a bulldozer blade B is highly advantageousfor facilitating the use or non-use of a rooter tooth, the presentarrangement has other notable advantages. Thus, the weight of a toothbeing moved between its use and non-use points on the mounting bulldozerhead is supported in part from the universal hinging assembly 17,whereby movements of the tooth between operative and non-operativepositions with respect to a blade will never require a manual support ofthe full weight of the tooth, as would be the case in handling a toothwhich is entirely free of a head with which it is to be used.Furthermore, the weight added to a bulldozer head by one or moreinoperatively disposed rooters 11 carried thereon is advantageous asproviding an increased penetration for the working edge B" of the blade.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the present rooter for bulldozer blades willbe readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains. ture and arrangement which we noW consider to be a preferredembodiment of our invention, we desire to have it understood that theshowings are primarily illustrative, and that such changes anddevelopments may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of thefollowing claims.

We claim:

1. In combination with the moldboard of a bulldozer or the like, anelongated rooting element for operative disposal in upright positionopposite the front face of the moldboard in releasably clamped relationthereto and providing a terminal rooting tooth at an end of its shankfor operation below the bottom edge of the moldboard, and a universalconnection means carried by the moldboard adjacent its top and engagedby the shank of said rooting element for a swinging of the releasedelement between its upright working position and an inoperative positionacross the moldboard.

2. In combination with the moldboard of a bulldozer or the like, anelongated rooting element for operative While we have shown anddescribed a strucdisposal in upright position opposite the front face ofthe moldboard in releasably clamped relation thereto and providing aterminal rooting tooth at an end of its shank for operation below thebottom edge of the moldboard, and a pivotal connection means carried bythe moldboard adjacent its top and supportably engageable by the shankof said rooting element to provide for a swinging of the mounted elementbetween its upright working raised position and an inoperative positionacross the front of the moldboard adjacent its top.

3. In combination with an upright moldboard of a bulldozer or the like,an elongated rooting element for operative disposal in upright positionopposite a face of the moldboard in releasably clamped relation theretoand comprising a shank provided with a terminal rooting tooth at one endfor its operative extension below the bottom edge of the moldboard andproviding a uniform stem extending from its other end, a fork memberfixedly mounted on the moldboard adjacent its top and having its stemswiveled thereto with'its arms extending forwardly from said mold-boardface, a member ro tatably engaged with and between the arms of the forkmember for rotation about an axis in the plane of the fork arms andproviding an opening for freely and rotatively receiving said stem ofthe rooting element, and means cooperative between said last member andthe stem engaged in said opening of the member for longitudinallyadjusting the position of the. stem in the opening.

4. In combination with an upright moldboard of a bulldozer or the like,an elongated rooting element for operative disposal in upright positionopposite the forward face of the moldboard in releasably clampedrelation thereto and comprising a shank provided with a terminal rootingtooth at one end arranged for its operative extension below the bottomedge of the moldboard and provided with a uniform stem extending fromits other end, a fork member fixedly mounted on the moldboard adjacentits top and having its stem swiveled thereto with its arms extendingforwardly from said forward moldboard face in a plane including the axisof its stern, a block member rotatably engaged with and between the armsof the fork member for rotating about an axis in the plane of the forkarms and stem and providing an opening for freely and rotativelyreceiving said stem of the rooting element, and means cooperativebetween said block member and the received stem for longitudinallyadjusting the position of the stem in the block opening.

5. In combination with an upright moldboard of a bulldozer or the like,an elongated rooting element for operative disposal in upright positionopposite a face of the moldboard and comprising a shank provided with aterminal rooting tooth at one end and'providing a uniform terminal stemat its other end and a V notch intermediately thereof for receivingthebottom edge of the moldboard when the rooting element is operativelymounted on it, and a connection means carried by the moldboard adjacentits top and supportably and adjustably engageable by the stem of saidrooting element to provide for a clamping engagement of the moldboardbetween the means and said V notch to clamp the rooting element inoperative relation to the moldboard and for a release of the mountedrooting element for its swinging to an inoperative position across themoldboard.

6. In combination with the moldboard of a bulldozer or the like, anelongated rooting element for operative disposal in upright positionopposite the front face of the moldboard in releasably clamped relationthereto and providing a terminal rooting tooth at an end of its shankfor operation below the bottom edge of the moldboard, and an attachingmeans carried by the moldboard adjacent its top and engaged by the shankof said rooting element for a swinging of the released mounted elementbetween its upright working position and an inoperative position acrossthe moldboard and transverse to the said working position of theelement.

7. In combination with the moldboard of a bulldozer or the like, anelongated rooting element for operative disposal in upright positionopposite the front face of the moldboard in releasably clamped relationthereto and providing a terminal rooting tooth at an end of its shankfor operation below the bottom edge of the moldboard, an attaching meanscarried by the moldboard adjacent its top and engaged by the shank ofsaid rooting element for a swinging of the released mounted elementbetween its upright working position and an inoperative position acrossthe moldboard and transverse to said working position of the element,and means directly cooperative between the rooting element and themoldboard for alternatively and releasably securing the rooting elementin either aforesaid mounted position thereof on the moldboard.

8. In combination with an upright moldboard of a bulldozer or the like,an elongated rooting element for Cir operative disposal in uprightposition opposite a face of the moldboard and comprising a shankprovided with a terminal rooting tooth at one end and providing a Vnotch intermediately thereof for receiving the bottom edge of themoldboard when the rooting element is operatively mounted on it, and aconnection means on the moldboard adjacent its top and adjustablyengageable with the shank of said rooting element to provide for aclamping engagement of the moldboard between the means and said V notchto clamp the rooting element in operative relation to the moldboard andfor a release of the mounted rooting element for its swinging to aninoperative position on and across the moldboard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,262,415 Williams Nov. 11, 1941 2,281,928 Fletcher May 5, 1942 02,634,520 Foster Apr. 14, 1953

